Spark plug



i Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITEDSTATES 'PATEPH'v OFFICE.

HERBERT E. BILLINGS, OF WOODSTOCK, IILIOIS, ASSIGNIB,` "DO HEB MANUFAC-TUBING COMPANY, 0F WOODSTOCK', ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SPARK PLUG.

" application inea ,my as, 1921. serial No. 485,109.

To all whom it may concern `Be itknown that I, HERBERT ll. Bunnies, acitizen of the Unitedv States, kresiding at IVoodstock, in the countyofh/[cIcIenry and State ol Illinois, have inventedv a certain new anduseful Improvement in Spark Plugs, of which the following-is a lfull,clear,

concise, and exact description, reference being had `to the accompanyingdrawings, forming apart ot' this specification.

This invention relates to spark plugs and more particularly` to aself-cleaning spark plug.

It is a purpose oit the invention to provide a spark plug that isseit-cleaning, that is, one that keeps the porcelain thereof clean o'carbon, byidrawing a cleansing mixture over the same. y

It is more particularly a purpose ofthe invention to provide a sparkplug having a jacket forming a passage therearound communicating withthe intake of an internal combustion engine and also communicating withthe internal hollow or bore of the spark plug, so as to draw theexplosive mixture, which isalso a cleansing mixture, over the suri'aceofthe porcelain seated in said plug to clean the same. y

It isa further purpose ot the invention to j 'n'ovide a sparlcplug otthe above mentioned clntracter that is provided with sucha large`nunlber ot openings conuininicating from said passage to the interiorther-cot as to provide closely spaced openings separated only by smallweb portions, whereby the cleaning mixture is thrown againstsubstantially the entireouter surface of said porcelainl j It is afurther object of the invention to provide a detachable jacket memberprovided with a beveled ground shoulder. engaging a correspondingbeveledshoulder on the body portion of said plug to provide a `tightjoint between said jacket and body portion, and "to provide a' aycketmember that is held in on the body memberby a tightening nutscrewthreadedly engaging said body mem-j ber, thus tightening saidjacket member entirely independent o't the screw threaded connectionbetween the spark plug and engine cylinder. i

Itis also a purpose of' the invention to provide a spark plug whereinthe electrodes project beyond thebody portion thereofA and wherein `saidelectrodes are provided with lresh explosive `mixture with each intakef' provide a check valve in said suction con` nectioincoinprismg a ballmounted therein,

and adapted to move between a stop on said ring and l a seat in asleeve-like member mounted in said suction connection, so as to open andclose the same, said ball having a very slight movement, whereby allsprings in said check valve can be eliminated.

@their objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription of the accompanying drawing proceeds. However, I desire tohave it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limitmyself to theexact details shown therein and described in the specification, but thatI intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes andmodilications ot parts as would occur to a person skilled in this artand as would fall within the scope ot the claim.

In the drawings: j

` Figj'l is a side elevation partly in section of my sel't cleaningspark plug;

i Fig.` 2 is a scc-tion thereof taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l and `Fig. 3is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modiiication. j j

`lteferring in detail to lthe drawing, the improved sparkplug comprisesa body por-` tion 5 having a threaded end portion 6 which is adapted toengage with an internally threaded opening in an engine cylinder, saidlder 11, said shoulder 11 being beveled and being adapted to act as astop for the shoulder 12 on the porcelain or other insulating member 13which extends within the bore of the main body portion 5, and which isprovided with a downwardlyv extending portion 14 in which is mounted theelectrode 15 which cooperates with the electrode 7. h/Iounted; betweenthe porcelain 13' and the shoulder 11 is a brass or other metallicwasher 1G. The porcelain is held in place by means of the bushing` 1Thaving the hexagonal portion 18 which is adapted to be engaged by awrench for turning the same, said bushing 17 engaging the shoulder 19 onthe porcelain 13 and havingV a packing 20 interposed between the sameand the porcelain. The outer end portion 21 of the porcelain 13 isprovided with a binding screw 22, to which wire from the ignition systemmay be connected.

The main body portion is provided with a beveled face 3k which isconical in forni,y and which is provided substantially midway thereofwith an annular groove 24 extending therearound. The outer face of themember 5 at 23 is ground to the proper bevel, and a ring 25 which formsa jacket is adapted to seat thereon, said ring 25 being provided with a`ground beveled face 26 corresponding to the face 23. The body portion 5is also provided with a threaded portion, 27 which is adapted to beengaged.

by the nut 28 so that when the nut 28 is turned down on the threads 27',the nut 28 will engage with the ring 25 and force the same downwardly onthe body portion 5 so as to clamp the beveled faces 28 and 26 togetherto form a tight joint.

Extending inwardly from the groove 211 is a plurality7 ofequi-distantlyi spaced passages 29 separated by web portions 80. Asshown Ain Figs. 1. and 2, the passages 29 may be formed by cutting thesame with a circular cutter` so as to form a wide. cut, and exposesubstantially the entire outer surface ot the portion 14i of theporcelain 13 to the stream of or air passing inwardiy from the same intothe interior ofv the body portion 5. This will be clear from Fig. 2. Ifdesired, however, a large number of openings can be drilled as shown inFig. Si, said openings being indicated by the numeral 29 separated bythe webs` 30. 1t will be noted from Fig. 1 that the passages extend atan angle to a section that would be perpendicular tothe axis of the plugso that the stream of gas or air passing from the same inwardly thereof`(o the porcelain will be directed at an angle against thev same. Thering 25 is provided with a hollow boss or tubular extension 31 and has apair of openings 32 therein connecting` the interior 33 of the boss ortube 31 with the passage 241 formed by placing the ring 25 over thegroove. The tubular portion 31 is provided with a shoulder 34 and with asleeve 35 mounted therein, said sleeve 35 being provided with a seat 3Gat the end thereof for the ball 37. The outer end of the tube 31 isprovided with a nut 3S which engages with the enlargement 39 on thepipe' 40 for providing a. tight connection between` the suction pipe i0yandthe tubular member 31. The ball 37 is adapted to move between theshoulder 32 and the end of the sleeve 35. Said ball has a very smallamount of play andl will' move from the opened position against theshoulder 34 to the closed position against the sea-t 36 at the end ofthe sleeve without the necessity of providing a spring for thismovement, the ball moving such a slight distance that the pressure ofthe gas in the cylinder will close the valve. rlhe suction pipe 40 isconnected with the intake manifold of the engine so that as the suctionstroke of the cylinder, to which the spark plug is connected, takesplace, the explosive mixture is drawn through the pipe 4() past thevalve 37 through the passages 32 into the passage 24 and then throughthe passageway 29 or 2t" as the case may be, when it strikes theprocelain 13 at the tapered portion 14 thereof that carries theelectrode 15 and as this mixture strikes substantially the entire outersurface of the porcelainy at this point at aconsiderable velocity, andas the mixture. contains gasoline, which is a cleaning agent, theporcelain of the plug will be effectively cleaned over the entireexposed surface thereof, and short circuitingv of the plug due to carbonis thus prevented.

It will be noted that the electrodes 7v and 15 extend beyond the plug`as is customary,V and it is unnecessary that these be cleaned by theexplosive mixture, as the carbon thereon does not do the damage that iscaused by carbon on the porcelain which will short circuitI the plug.

It. will also be noted that due to the factthat the explosive mixture isdrawn through the plug, a rich clean mixture will be presented attheelectrodes, thus avoiding any difficulty due toimproper scavenging ofthe engine which would be liable to cause a burnt and non-explosive gasto be present adjacent the electrodes.

Having thus described my invention, What I desire to claim and, secureby U. S.- Letters Patent is:

A spark plug of the character described, con'iprising a shell having abody portion provided with a. longitudinal bore having an unrestrictedopening in one end thereL of, an electrode carried thereby, aninsulatingl member mounted in said bore and spaced lll) onY all sidesfrom said body portion, an l A.ing from said passage into Said bore nearthe inner end thereof, said' openings being inclined at an oblique angleto the axis of said plug, anda suction connection lead-- ing into saidannular passage. 1n In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my nameThis 22nd day oft July, A. D. 1921. l

HERBERT BILLINGS.

